The Six Styles of Love
by Harmonizing Dichotomy
Summary: A man named John Lee created six different 'love styles' for describing the different ways people act in relationships -- Pragma, Ludus, Mania, Agape, Eros, and Storge. Shows House and Wilson slowly evolving through them.
1. Chapter 1

_**Pragma**  
Pragmatic lovers are practical. Pragmatic lovers think rationally and realistically about their expectations in a partner. Pragmatic lovers want to find value in their partners, and ultimately want to work with their partner to reach a common goal._

There's something distinctly wrong with the table.

Not the fact that it's one of the only slabs of wood unlucky enough to be caught in the full sun of the windows (tragically blindless, even in summer), though. It's something else, a bit more easily fixed than prompting the earth to turn faster on its axis but still beyond the drive of the table's current sole occupant.

"This seat taken?"

Blue eyes shifting up to brown, hardly enough time spent for one to recognize the hue of the other before, "Only by a cheerful, cancer-causing sunbeam."

With a clatter of plastic on wood, the first to speak sits down and sets his tray on the tabletop. "Funny you should mention cancer, actually."

The one still pondering the table's problem pulls an expression that has the singularly impressive effect of making both of his eyebrows practically disappear under his hairline. "Don't tell me you're one of the masochists majoring in oncology? You know, you've got a good enough chance of being sued as-is, I'm sure, no need to overdo it."

The brown-eyed man is a little surprised at the response, and while some brand of social grace still lingers something else follows the prompt to scurry aside. "Well I figured I'd try for patients that aren't going to be around for long enough to sue me for a horrible beside manner." He's never usually that abrupt, but the man across from him seems a combination of amused and contemplative at the response. When he opens his mouth, the aspiring oncologist assumes it's going to be a retort.

"...is that sandwich turkey or chicken?"

"What?" Not that the answer would apparently matter, as the other reached one long arm across the otherwise-vacant table for his tray. Swiping off a sandwich half, he calmly brings it to his mouth, glancing to the table as if that's at fault for the other's sudden lack of half his lunch. "...what the hell are you doing?" As if it wasn't obvious.

Eyes lock on his atop a lettuce leaf that's poking up from between the bread slices. "Fixing the table's problem." There hadn't been any food on his side before, after all.

'Masochist' or not, a heavy eyebrow raises in wary question before he simply shakes his head and takes up what's left of his meal. At least now Wilson doesn't seem to need to worry about stepping lightly around his new eating partner.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ludus**  
Ludic lovers are players. They generally view marriage as a trap, and are the most likely of the love styles to commit infidelity. The advantage of ludic love is excellent sexual technique. The disadvantage is the likelihood of infidelity. In its extreme form, ludic love becomes promiscuity._

Wilson can't believe how uncaring he is in his handling of the situation, of course.

In fact, 'handling' probably wouldn't even be the word the oncologist would use – probably something more passive aggressive and chilishly placating, like '_trying_ to help'.

It's been a while since House had to watch that specific pair of brown eyes get that telling, warning shine to them, so who in their right mind would blame him for leaving with a few seemingly-careless parting words? After all, if Wilson had honestly expected something like sympathy over beginning to lose his third wife, well...he _**should**_ have picked different friends. Surprisingly, Wilson seems incapable of keeping any relationship going, even friendly ones, without cheating on them with someone else.

Right now, House is standing in his office, re-filling his coffee mug for the second time that morning; sending off his team to perform ill thought-out tests means he doesn't need to hide the fact that he's leaning into the counter while he pours the steaming liquid. His eyes narrow over the bright red rim of the cup, catching the sight of Wilson striding along with a woman. If House paid more attention to the staff, he'd know if she was a nurse or a secretary – not that he needs to know either to know that Wilson's hitting on her. Their steps aren't timed together, but their hips might as well be connected for how close they're walking alongside each other.

The chair creaks when House flops into it, still over-playing the gracelessness of the action even though he's lacking in an audience. You'd think, for all the times Wilson's been caught at cheating, that he'd learn. But then, Wilson had never really seemed to be all that affected by his wives' reactions to his affairs. They couldn't get past the man's libido and fetish for neediness enough to stop the unstoppable force that was a Messiah Complex-driven Wilson.

Only House had ever been able to do that.

This time, it's a chuckle that greets the empty room, and even the anaesthesiologist that happens to pass by the glass-walled office merely offers it a short glance, knowing enough to acknowledge that he doesn't _**want**_ to know what new realization has prompted the head diagnostician to grin quite like that.

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A/N: I know, an even shorter chapter than the first - these will all vary in length, obviously, but at least one of the later ones is a good deal longer than this, just in case anyone was worried. ;)


End file.
